Gutkaes, Johann Christian Friedrich

Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes was a Dresden court and small watchmaker, Mecanicus of the exquisite royal watch collection and founder of the art watch factory Gutkaes.

Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes, son of Johann Christian Gutkaes, electoral secret clerk to Dresden, was born on 16 June 1785. He studied mathematics and astronomy. He learned the craft of watchmaking and married on September 21, 1815 the daughter of Royal Saxon court watchmaker Schuhmann, Friederica Charlotte Schuhmann.

On October 6, 1815 Gutkaes received the rank of master craftsman and founded an art watch factory in Dresden, Wilsdruffer Gasse 234, that was first mentioned 1839. In this workshop, also the unusual construction of the five minutes digital clock of the Semper Opera House was manufactured, that was installed in the proscenium above the stage of the 1841 opened Opera House (Semper Opera in Dresden), built by Gottfried Semper. He worked as a mechanic at the Mathematics and Physics Salon in Dresden.

Gutkaes was the teacher of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, before Lange went to Paris to perfect his knowledge and skills at Joseph Thaddeus Winnerl. 1841 Lange returned to Dresden and after his marriage with Antonia Gutkaes in 1842 became a partner in the company, which was now called Gutkaes & Lange.

Johann Christian Friedrich Gutkaes died on August 8 1845.

• Ferdinand Adolph Lange
• Friedrich Moritz Krille
• Karl Moritz Großmann

• Watchmakers & Clockmakers of the World; Author Baillie, G. H.; ISBN 140679113X
• Die Uhren von A. Lange and Söhne, Glashütte/Sachsen; Author Martin Huber; ISBN 3766708880